2015 Golden Globes Set Key Dates, New Rules for Animation, Foreign Films and Television Minis

The HFPA (Hollywood Foreign Press Association) has announced some new rules and regulations regarding placement and clarification of animated features and where foreign language films can compete. For the 72nd Golden Globes, foreign language films may not compete in the Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy categories but may be nominated anywhere else. After Hayao Miyazaki’s animated film The Wind Rises was nominated in Foreign Language Motion Picture last year, the group has decided that animated films can now only compete in the Animated Motion Picture category and not Foreign Language Film nor either of the Best Motion Picture categories. They’ve also clarified that motion-capture does not qualify as animated and that “movement and characters’ performances must be created using a frame-by-frame technique” through the use of “hand drawing, stop motion, pixilation, animation software or a similar technique.”

With True Detective, Fargo and American Horror Story blurring the lines of series and minis, the HPFA has also changed the language for the television miniseries, renaming it “Limited Series” and defining the differences between a limited series and an on-going one.  Under the new rules, a series is defined as a program in which “the on-going theme, storyline or main characters must be presented under the same title and have continuity of production supervision within the year and from year to year.” A limited series “must tell a complete, non-recurring story.”

The Golden Globes show, hosted for the second year in a row by Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, airs on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015, four days before Academy Award nominations are announced.

The Golden Globes’ Key Dates:

Friday, Oct. 31, 2014: Deadline for submission for Golden Globe Motion Picture and Television entry forms.
Friday, Nov. 14: Deadline for submitting a media or publicist credential request for the nominations announcement.
Wednesday, Nov. 26: Nomination ballots mailed to all HFPA members by Ernst & Young.
Wednesday, Dec. 3: Final screening date for motion pictures.
Saturday, Dec. 6: Final date for motion picture press conferences.
Monday, Dec. 8: Deadline for receipt of ballots by Ernst & Young.
Thursday, Dec. 11: Announcement of nominations for the 72nd annual Golden Globe Awards at 5 a.m. PT.
Friday, Dec. 12: Deadline for receipt of media credential applications.
Monday, Dec. 22: Final ballots mailed to all HFPA members.
Friday, Dec. 26: Deadline for receipt of publicist credential applications for Golden Globes.
Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015: Deadline for receipt of final ballots by Ernst & Young.
Sunday, Jan. 11: 72nd annual Golden Globe Awards.